Roulette is a tale as old as time! Historians believe, in its primitive form, it dates back to the 17th century when the game was not yet called by its current name, but known as Blaise Pascal. The mechanism of the present day roulette wheel is a hybrid version of an Italian game called Biribi that was invented in 1720. However, the name ‘roulette’ was given by the 18th century Frenchmen as the word it literally translates to ‘small wheel’. And since then this table game has dominated not just the gambling world but pop culture as well. And so has the whispers about roulette tips and tricks that make this game even more interesting.
In this blog post, we explore some of those roulette strategies and discuss whether they work or not.
In the 1942 film Casablanca, Rick's Café Américain has a trick roulette wheel. However, with such strict regulations and guidelines, it is almost impossible to find such a fluke. So, you need more than a faulty wheel to win the game. Since it all comes down to probability, maybe a mathematical trick could help?
However, as Albert Einstein supposedly once said, “No one can win at roulette unless he steals money from the table while the croupier isn’t looking.” So, unlike Blackjack, there are no mathematical formulas to win a game of roulette. In contrast to the game of Blackjack (where the probabilities change as cards are dealt), each spin is an independent trial in roulette. So, in the long run, the casino (with its house edge) has slightly better odds of winning. Does that mean there are no real roulette tips that work?
Don’t be disheartened! Though there might not be a mathematical formula, there are plenty of money management and playing system-based roulette tips known to exploit the way of the roulette wheel. Keep these tricks in mind, and you could very well increase your chances of a thrilling win! Here are a few of the top roulette tips:
This is one of the most basic roulette tips you will ever receive. If you have ever played roulette before, you already know that there are two different roulette wheel layouts. An American wheel, with two zeroes and the European wheel with a single zero.
This is an extremely important difference as the double zeroes on the American wheel also double the house edge for the casino. So, in the long run, you would lose 2.7% of the money you bet on a European wheel. On the American wheel, however, you can expect to lose 5.26% of the betting amount. Thus, many experienced players will advise you to try the European Wheel.
Another all-time favourite advice doled out by roulette guru’s is to have a system that is a combination of playing and money management strategies. Among the most well-known money management roulette tips is the Martingale’s system. Also known as the ‘doubling-up betting strategy’, this system guarantees that you would win money as you double your bet after every loss and you do not hit the table limit. Meaning, if you bet a €5 on the red and the ball stops on a black, in the next round, double your bet to €10 on red. The idea is to keep on betting until you win, which ultimately will cover your losses.
While it is a great strategy, it demands that you have a large enough bankroll that lets you keep playing until you land a win. So, when applying this strategy make sure you choose your coin size per bet according to the money in your pocket. Since guaranteed success would require being able to play with an infinite amount of money, it’s not a strategy appropriate for all.
The Martingale's strategy is more suitable for the high-rolling risk takers. There are plenty of roulette tips for conservative players as well. The best-known us the Paroli system. Also called the Reverse Martingale system, this strategy has two main fundamental purposes. One, to generate small wins consistently. Two, to avoid the risk of huge losses.
This is a positive betting, or, direct progression wagering system that aims to increase the chances of growing your profits by taking advantage of winning streaks. So, if you made an initial bet of €10 and you lost, repeat the same bet on the next spin as well. Finally, when you win, you double your stake for the next game and so on. If you then win three games in a row, return to your original conservative lower bet immediately. The idea is that your luck will not always be with you. So, before it runs out, you need to check your bets and not make a ludicrous wager.
If you are an advanced player and looking for more complex roulette tips, this one is for you. Developed by Henry Labouchere, this strategy is based on the core idea that you need to bet on something that has a 50% success rate. Also known as the Split Martingale, the Cancellation System and American Progression, this is a negative progression system.
This roulette strategy involves increasing stakes after losing bets. The first step in this system is to decide how much you aim to win. Say your target is €10. Then you split the coins into sections. Say you the split looks like this: 1 – 1 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 1. Now, take the numbers on the two extremes and add them together. Here, it will be 1 and 1. So, your bet should be €2 on the first spin. If you manage to win the bet, cross out the numbers from the sequence you just used. So, the new sequence would be 1 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 and our next bet should be €3. You repeat the whole process until you cross out all numbers.
This is a similar principle to the Martingale, that is the main idea is that you should be able to recover the losses. However, unlike the Martingale roulette strategy, where you recover all your losing bets in one go, the Labouchere strategy does it with a smaller number of multiple wins. So, it requires both tenacity and disciple. It is, therefore, best to try this roulette trick only when you have some hold over the game.
As long as it is a fair game, there is no difference in game mechanics whether you play roulette online or offline. So, all the above roulette tips and tricks apply to both land-based as well as online roulette tables.
However, one additional tip for playing roulette online is to get some free practice sessions. You can either find a game that has a demo-version where you can play. All you have to do is log in to the online casino and you should be able to try the free-play mode then. Or else, look for casino rewards that give you bonus cash. You can utilise this money to bet and practice the above roulette tips and tricks before you risk your own bankroll.
The best strategy to play any casino game is to strike a balance between fun and caution. This applies to roulette as well. The above roulette tips can really help you turn the table to your advantage. All you need to do is keep an eye on your bankroll and plan your game accordingly.
Thinking of trying some of these roulette tips and tricks? Look no further! PlayFrank online casino has this game available for all its South Africa players and you can play it right now, either as a Live Casino game or a single-player roulette game against a computer. All you have to do is complete a simple registration process that takes less than a few minutes. And then you are ready to feel like Bond and give the roulette wheel a go. Enjoy!